In-vehicle devices and systems will refer herein to devices and systems that are installed on a vehicle. Aftermarket in-vehicle devices and systems will refer to devices and systems that are installed on a vehicle after the vehicle has been manufactured, i.e. these devices are not factory installed. Although this application description will focus on the use of the horn as an input interface to aftermarket telematics devices which are electronic devices, the application applies to in-vehicle devices and systems in general, aftermarket or factory installed, electronic or not. The application is not restricted to aftermarket devices and systems since embodiments of the application can be implemented at the vehicle manufacturing plant. However, as developed below, a definite need for the application is associated with certain unreadily accessible aftermarket devices and systems. Furthermore, the application is not restricted to vehicles since operators of other forms of transport use horns as a means of warning others or gaining attention to the transport operations and the application applies to these transports as well. The term ‘vehicle’ will be used for readability but should be interpreted as including these other forms of transport.
Vehicle telematics devices and systems employ telecommunications and information processing for a variety on-board functions and communication capabilities. Examples of vehicle telematics functions include emergency warning, GPS navigation, integrated hands-free cell phones, automatic crash notification, wireless safety communications, and automatic driving assistance. Several new car manufacturers offer factory-installed telematics systems in their new vehicles. For example, General Motors Corporations offers the OnStar® system, Ford Corporation offers the SYNC® system, and Hughes Telematics offers their system through OEM arrangements with manufactures such as Mercedes-Benz Corporation.
In addition, a growing aftermarket telematics device and system industry offers telematics devices for use in existing vehicles. These aftermarket telematics products enable the upgrade of older vehicles with similar telematics functions as those available on new cars. Additionally, these aftermarket telematics products may provide additional functions, for example fleet tracking, or the capture of vehicle telemetry data for usage based vehicle insurance rating. Examples of fleet tracking devices are available from CES Wireless Corporation and Sierra Wireless Corporation. The Snapshot® device from Progressive Insurance Company is a well-known telematics device for usage-based insurance. Like several of the newer aftermarket telematics products, the ‘Snapshot’ device plugs into and draws power from the vehicle's standardized on-board diagnostic port, referred to as an ‘OBDII’ connector. The OBDII plug-in devices provide a straightforward user installation. In comparison, several commercial fleet tracking devices are still rugged ‘bricks’ the size of a blackboard eraser or larger that are intended for professional installation involving more elaborate mechanical mountings and custom wiring.
The installation location of both factory installed and certain aftermarket devices and systems may not always fall within convenient arm's reach of the operator. For example, a device may be installed inside the dashboard of the vehicle. In the case of factory installed telematics systems, these concealed locations may not be problematic if a well-designed user interface is provided. Such a user interface may be readily integrated into the design of the dash or steering wheel, allowing for ergonomically placed controls or touch screen displays. Indeed, a quality user interface to factory installed telematics systems provides a valuable feature that may be used in marketing to enhance vehicle sales.
In the case of many aftermarket devices however, the concealed nature of the device installation is problematic to providing even a minimal user input interface. These types of aftermarket telematics systems, such as fleet tracking devices, automatic crash notification devices, and usage based insurance devices, would benefit from an accessible push button switch user input interface. These systems do not require a more elaborate interface such as a touch screen or keypad. For example, a push button switch user input interface is desirable so the driver can respond to synthesized voice prompts in order to configure or command the telematics system. Also, an un-prompted push button user input could serve as an emergency HELP/MAYDAY switch to initiate contact with a telematics service center or ‘911’ emergency dispatch operator.
Note the terms ‘switch’, ‘push button’ and ‘push button switch’ are used interchangeably here and meant to include any type of binary or ON/OFF control signaling method that is easily and directly activated and/or inactivated by the user. An example of this type of switch is a push button near the overhead interior light in the passenger compartment of a vehicle that the occupants use to turn the light ON or OFF. The term ‘user’ here generally refers to the operator of the vehicle but may also include vehicle occupants.
Several undesirable systems and methods exist for providing a push button switch as a user input interface to an aftermarket device that is concealed from the user, for example a device that is under or inside the dash of the passenger compartment. One such method, for example, is to mount a switch somewhere on the dash and connect the switch to the device by means of wires or wireless signaling. This is undesirable cosmetically—very few vehicle owners want a button glued or otherwise attached to the dashboard of their vehicle. A remote wireless button creates the need for a power source, and if a battery is used for power, the requirement to replace or recharge the battery. Another approach that is also undesirable is to rewire an existing control on the dash so that it is wired to the aftermarket device instead of being wired by the car manufacturer. This approach would be difficult to implement, result in permanent vehicle damage, and may void the vehicle's warranty.
Voice activation may initially appear to be an attractive solution for providing a simple user input interface for an inaccessibly installed aftermarket device. However, the audio signal processing technology that is required to provide a reliable voice activation user interface has a large processing burden and may be difficult to economically justify. These telematics devices plug into the OBDII connector for device mounting, power source, and access to vehicle diagnostic data. Voice activation technology is superfluous for a simple push button switch type of user interface for these reduced cost telematics devices. For example, the push button switch may only be needed for user-aided configuration of the device and for providing the user with HELP/MAYDAY button functionality.
What would be optimal is an inexpensive and accessible user input interface for in-vehicle devices and systems that can serve the function of a simple push button switch. For example, this type of user interface is needed for low cost, user-installed, consumer-oriented, OBDII-mounted telematics devices. Such an interface will allow enhanced functionality, for example, by allowing the user to configure and command the device in response to audio prompts and by providing the user with a HELP/MAYDAY button function that can be used to obtain help in an emergency.